Reach final Habas looks to 12th man for support
KOLKATA: The question was short, the answer shorter. Asked whether he believed in miracles, Antonio Lopez Habas simply said “yes” and indicated that he was ready for the next question. And in his team’s bid to overturn a three-goal deficit, Habas said he is banking on the 12th man.
“More than in any other game, we will need the support of the fans tomorrow. From the first minute to the 90th and more if we can take the game to extratime,” said Habas, the Atletico de Kolkata coach, on Tuesday even as the odds on his team to stay defending champion lengthened because along with skipper Borja Fernandez, his central midfield partner Ofetnse Nato too is out of the second-leg of this semi-final against Chennaiyin FC.
Habas’ take on missing players due to injury has been constant since he was first asked about it when marquee Helder Postiga flew home. “No excuses. We have 26 players,” he had said on October 12, ahead of Atletico de Kolkata’s first home game this term. He trotted out the same answer on Tuesday, though replying to another question, Habas mentioned how badly the team was impacted by Fernandez’s Atletico de Kolkata v Chennaiyin FC live on Star Sports 2, 3, HD2 & HD3 at 7:00 pm
injury in Pune.
Till then, in 32 games over two editions of the Indian Super League (ISL), Fernandez, 35 next month, hadn’t started only once and that was because he was suspended. In 1302 minutes spread over 15 games this term, Fernandez completed 66 tackles and 23 aerial interceptions. At 42, his teammate Iain Hume is the only non-defender to have made more aerial interceptions in ISL2. Fernandez has also completed 533 passes, the maximum in the team. Should he be used as replacement, Jorge Alonso would have big boots to fill.
Ignoring Alonso and replacing Fernandez with striker Diego Lekic in Pune may have been Habas’ only error in judgment since the ISL began in 2014. “That game was no good for us after the first goal we shouldn’t have conceded,” said Habas.
Even Chennaiyin FC manager Marco Materazzi felt the crowd would be a factor. “It will make it easier to motivate my players. Everyone wants to play in front of nearly 70,000 people,” he said.